MT. VERNON (WMIX) – A 45-year-old Mt. Vernon man was arrested Tuesday for alleged reckless homicide following an altercation in a Mt. Vernon alley that left a 62-year-old man dead.
According to Mt. Vernon Police Chief Trent Page, around 4:32 p.m. Tuesday, police received a report of a male subject being struck by a vehicle in an alleyway in the area of the 2900 block of Veterans Memorial Drive.
Patrol officers began the investigation and called the Detectives Division, and Crime Scene Division, along with the ISP Traffic Crash Reconstruction Unit to the scene.
The subsequent investigation into the incident indicates the victim was working on a trailer in the alley when 45-year-old Robert A. Lewis was driving westbound in the alley.
A dispute reportedly erupted between the two men resulting in the victim damaging Lewis’ vehicle and Lewis damaging the victim’s vehicle. Chief Page says the damages were caused by the two men wielding objects not by a collision.
Page says the investigation into the incident showed as Lewis was driving away from the incident, he struck the other man with his vehicle. An ambulance reportedly transported the victim to an area hospital but he was pronounced dead.
While Lewis did drive away from the scene, Page says he drove to the police department a short time later. He was then taken to a nearby hospital after the State’s Attorney’s office issued a warrant for Lewis’ blood and urine to be tested.
Lewis was then transported to the Jefferson County Jail on the reckless homicide charge, but according to Chief Page, additional charges could be filed as the investigation into the case is ongoing, and they’re still awaiting the results of Lewis’ toxicology tests.